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One of the highlights of circumsailing Croatia and Venice was (or better is) the Kornati Archipel. Somehow the moonlike rawness of the islands is fascinating and very attractive.

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Murter, where I did start my sailing and chartered my yacht, is also called the capital of the Kornati. For several reasons I guess.

Capital of the Kornati

Once the Kornati was owned by the nobility of the region around Zadar. The land was being used for some agriculture (mostly olives) and sheeps. When in dire straits around the 17th century, they sold it to the peasants working on it. Most of them and their descendants living in Murter or around. Although the Kornati Archipel is a national park, most of the islands are still privately owned. I guess those people can make a quite decent living from it.

Another explanation for Murter being the capital of the Kornati is because the vast amounts of tourist boarding to make daytrips to the Kornati. Another possiblity is renting a house for a week on an island. This is called “Robinson Holidays” locally, as you will be the only one on one of the 1,100 islands. Only to be visited every 3 days by people to provide you with new supplies (food, water, etc.).

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We stayed at Vrulje (see above) for the night when sailing around. It is also a privatly owned little village. One of the attractive thing of this island specific, especially for Dutch people around (including me), is that you don’t have to pay mooring fees or park entrance. Still don’t know if staying here obliges you to eat at the local restaurant. But the food (i.e. the morningfresh fish) is of such a quality you would be crazy not to do it.

Kornati Photo Album

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Sailing conditions

When we were sailing the weather was clearly turning, to the worse unfortunately. After almost 2 weeks of sunny weather and fair winds, rain was about to come. Best was that we were able to sail the Kornati while keeping it dry. Although that evening in Vrulje it was raining cts and dogs. Clearly another experience, dining under cover.

Unfortunately the clouds were coming already in the early afternoon. In the first picture of the album above it was sunny, though the clouds came soon to cover the blue sky. This only means I have to go back for the better pictures (what a punishment).

Only two days later Bora would strike again which made me run for Budapest.

Back in Murter again. After sailing for 5 weeks from Murter to Venice and back, highlights: First of all Venice off course. I am still a little bit flabbergasted that I have sailed to that city. Almost even impressive: Trieste, Pula and the Kornati Archipel. And what to think about the places like Molat, Luka Krijal, Vrulje and Sali in Croatia and Piran in Slovenia.

Now a week easy going here in Murter, no crew and a lot of rain forecasted for the next week. As I am writing this posts a Bora is slapping my face again. People might think she is secretly becoming my girlfriend. Not in a zillion years! But I getting used to her. Is that a good start for a steady relationship?

Currently sitting in a restaurant and the rain pours though the roof, really, it is just no joke. Excellent conditions to do some posting about routes, ancient places and the beauty of the Adriatic, analysing the GPS data and getting the route sailed into Google Earth. I am just very happy the weathergods like Helius, Selene, Eos, Boreas, Zephyrus and Hesperus allowed me to sail this roundtrip without any real obstacles through wind and rain.

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As a cliffhanger just the two above photographs as an impression what you can expect the next days. The first being the St. Marks Basilica at Venice, the second a very cosy bay in Croatia named Luka Krijal. Although both quite nice, not even close to a summary of my trip.